Thirteen two-toed sloths arrived Friday at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens. The animals are donations from “Sloth World Orlando,” an interactive exhibition planned for International Drive that has not yet opened to the public.
Thirty-one sloths imported for the attraction died between December 2024 and February 2025, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Report cited in an investigation published by Inside Climate News earlier this week.
RELATED: Brought to Orlando for 'Sloth World,' wild sloths died by the dozens
“We were very excited to have the opportunity, and grateful that he chose to donate them to us,” said Zoo CEO Richard Glover, referencing Sloth World owner Benjamin Agresta. “There are other things he could have done with them. And so we're excited to have the opportunity to give them the best possible chance for a good outcome they could have.”
Glover added, “Not knowing what their medical conditions may be, we will be very lucky if all of them do survive. … It’s going to take some time for the vet team to assess all of them individually and determine what the issues may be.”
Central Florida Public Media attempted contacting Sloth World by phone, but has not yet heard back. A website for the business says it’s “working on something amazing” and advises visitors to check back soon.
The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and has cared for sloths for decades, including one sloth with some medical issues who recently died at “that end of lifetime,” in her twenties, according to Glover.
“(At) any ACA-accredited facility, the standards for animal care and animal well-being are much higher than most other places, and so we feel like they have the best chance to survive here,” Glover said.
Still, the sloths’ prognosis remains unclear. They are currently in quarantine, being evaluated by the zoo’s veterinary experts.
A call to take in 13 animals all at once is “not typical at all,” Glover said. The need to initially quarantine all the sloths was a factor playing into the zoo’s decision of whether or not it could feasibly take in the animals and provide them with necessary care. Ultimately, the zoo determined it could do so.
Sloths are highly prone to stress, which can cause lots of issues for the animals’ gastrointestinal tracts, Glover said. “So when they start having issues, it can become very hard to get them stabilized.”
The zoo has more information available online about the sloths, including how to donate to the costs of their medical care.
“Obviously, we weren't expecting (13) sloths with medical issues, and so we know there's going to be considerable costs involved in taking this on,” Glover said.
According to an FWC report from August 2025, an unannounced inspection of a “warehouse of sorts” on International Drive revealed two cages too small to hold the animals within, based on captive wildlife requirements set by state law.
The same FWC report states 31 sloths died between December 2024 and February 2025. The business operator told FWC 21 of those sloths, imported from Guyana, died from a “cold stun” after arriving at the warehouse facility which, at the time, had no water or electricity.
Ten more sloths imported from Peru died later, in February 2025, including two that were dead upon arrival in Orlando. Those animals were “emaciated and in very poor health,” according to the FWC report.
FWC gave the business operator a “verbal warning,” according to the August 2025 report.
Also this week, Orange County on Thursday posted a stop-work order on the outside of the building reportedly housing sloths. The building inspection was performed due to the location storing animals without the proper permit, according to the county.
The building inspected by Orange County was originally permitted for storing vehicles, not animals. Before this week, the building’s most recent inspection was in 2021 for a vehicle storage use permit, according to the county. The building was intended to be used for storing three-wheelers also known as “slingshot vehicles.”
Now, it appears all entrances large enough for those types of vehicles to pass through have been altered with a permanently-attached, low-visibility mesh screen covering that would block vehicle access, according to the county’s field investigative report. The modification violates the Florida Building Code because it was performed without a building permit.
The “Sloth World” exhibition itself has been planned for another building, also located on International Drive but within the city of Orlando.
There are no investigations related to that second building located at 6582 International Drive, according to a city spokesperson, who added the city is not responsible for any permits or oversight related to the care, housing or exhibition of animals.
“Prior to any business opening, a Business Tax Receipt is required. As a condition of the Business Tax Receipt, the business owner will be required to present to the city applicable licenses for the exhibition of animals,” Orlando Public Information Manager Andrea Otero wrote in an email.
Building inspectors were onsite in March for a routine inspection of the building’s interior, which passed inspection, according to the city.
“The city has not had additional contact with the business beyond permitting and inspection processes,” Otero wrote.
